The present invention generally relates to exercise equipment and particularly to an exercise equipment having an exercise ball or other back support that aides in isolating and strengthening abdominal muscles and the lumbar and spinal erector muscles of the back.
Proper exercise techniques can strengthen and tone muscles and muscle groups. As such, exercise equipment has been created that can specifically tone and strengthen certain muscles. The exercise equipment is capable of isolating only those muscles that a user wishes to strengthen. Typically, the equipment can aide in the proper positioning of the user, support the user for certain types of exercises, or provide weights and/or resistance in order to aide in strengthening specific muscles.
In order to strengthen lower, middle and upper abdominal muscles, there are two well-accepted kinds of exercises: the sit-up and the crunch. The sit-up is performed by lying on the back with the knees bent and feet flat on the ground. The shoulders are then repeatedly lifted toward the knees with the stomach muscles. This exercise strengthens primarily upper abdominal muscles, but does not specifically tone the lower abdominal muscles.
The crunch is similar to the sit-up and is initiated by lying on the back and then lifting the shoulders toward the knees with the stomach muscles. Simultaneously, the knees are brought up to the shoulders as the shoulders are lifted. This exercise is designed to strengthen the abdominal muscles, Yet is only moderately effective. As the knees are brought up to the shoulders, the hip-flexor muscles in the legs will fire and contract thereby performing most of the work associated in moving the legs upward. Therefore, the lower abdominal muscles are not fully strengthened because the hip-flexor muscles are moving the legs and not the lower abdominal muscles.
Recently in the exercise sciences, the use of an exercise ball has gained popularity. The ball is typically a spherical bladder filled with air and configured to support the weight of the user. The ball is used during exercising by bending the back or stomach over the ball as it rests on the ground. As such, the ball evenly distributes the weight of the user over the curvature of his/her spine or stomach thereby working all muscles more effectively and safely during exercising.
The present invention provides an exercise machine that can strengthen all the abdominal muscles of the user without firing the hip flexors, which is not possible doing conventional crunches or sit-ups. Additionally, the present invention provides an exercise equipment that uses an exercise ball to support the weight of the user, thereby promoting a movement that at all times conforms to and supports the user""s spine. The ball also affords the user the ability to initiate the movement from a hyper-flexed position which stretches the abdominal muscles and adds range of motion to the exercise.
A search of prior art patents, exercise catalogs and other health and fitness publications did not disclose any relative prior art.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided an exercise machine that isolates abdominal and lowback muscles. The machine comprises a frame with a carriage slidably attached to the frame and configured to support the user""s feet. Furthermore, a transfer arm and a seat are attached to the frame. The seat is adjustable up and down and rotates on an axis which provides a pelvic tilt motion as the user xe2x80x9ccrunchesxe2x80x9d. The seat is attached to the frame between the carriage and the transfer arm and is configured to support the buttocks of the user. The exercise machine additionally includes a harness configured to be placable over the user""s shoulders and attached to an end of an elongate strap. The other end of the strap is attached to the carriage through the transfer arm such that the movement of the harness in a first direction facilitates the concurrent movement of the carriage in a second direction, which is generally opposite the first direction.
The transfer arm comprises a pair of pulleys whereby the strap is extended over and about the pulleys. Additionally, the frame has a pair of rails that the carriage is configured to be slidable upon. In order to support the torso of the user, the exercise machine further includes a deformable, spherically-shaped bladder attached to the frame between the seat and the transfer mechanism. As will be recognized, other forms of back support could be used.
In order to aid in positioning the user, the exercise machine further comprises a pair of handles. The handles are attached to the frame at a location that is graspable by the user""s hand while the user""s torso is placed stomach down upon the bladder and the user""s feet are concurrently placed upon and supported by the carriage which can be locked in a position of choice. This portion is for exercising the lumbar and spinal erector muscles.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.